Final: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3 -- Slow start keeps B's from closing out taken at TD Garden (2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs)

(John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs

Final: Maple Leafs 4, Bruins 3 -- Slow start keeps B's from closing out

By Joe McDonald

Apr 21, 2018 • 11:00 am

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The Toronto Maple Leafs stave off elimination with a 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins Saturday night at TD Garden. Game 6 will be played Monday night at Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

Starter Tuukka Rask was pulled after the Maple Leafs gained a 4-1 advantage. The Bruins pushed back and nearly mounted a comeback, but fell short. Toronto's early speed and effectiveness was key to the victory. Maple Leaf goalie Freddie Andersen made more than his share of timely saves and finished with 43 stops.

Observations from the first period




  • That's a terrible icing call. I'm a firm believer that if a player attempts to play the puck but misses it, it should not be icing.

  • Brad Marchand is insanely talented in tight spaces. That move just inside the blue line was outstanding.

  • Good defensively layers by the Bruins to start.

  • Bruins are trying to open up the neutral zone a bit more.

  • You could see that goal coming from the way the Maple Leafs gained entry with speed. Solid play by Torey Krug to stifle Auston Matthews' wrap-around attempt but Connor Brown is camped out front to knock it in to give Toronto a 1-0 lead.





  • Kadri making his presence known with a hit on Charlie McAvoy.

  • Brown rewards Babcock's decision by making that extra effort on the goal.

  • Another strong play by Kadri and the Maple Leafs have a 2-0 lead on Andreas Johnsson's goal.





  • Maple Leafs are flying.

  • Bruins need a goal this period.

  • This is the player Matthews should have been the first few games. He's making a difference.

  • Solid power play but Bruins can't connect. Not getting the puck luck.

  • Relentless attack goes for naught. Freddie Andersen finding the puck in all situations. Helps that the Bruins have hit a couple of posts already.

  • Bruins getting their chances once again, but just can't finish.

  • Toronto speed too much for Boston to handle in the opening period.


Observations from the second period


  • Bruins managed 15 shots in the opening period, but they need more finish the rest of the way. The regular-season version of the Maple Leafs have arrived.

  • If the Bruins mount a comeback remember that Rask save on William Nylander.

  • Shoot the puck. Bruins waiting too long.

  • This is the type of game when the Bruins need secondary scoring.

  • Too many shots from the perimeter without traffic in front. Maple Leafs fronting pucks too.

  • Cassidy switching up the D pairs again. McAvoy with Krug. Chara with Miller.

  • A gassed Pastrnak draws a tripping penalty. Need to capitalize here.

  • That delay, while trying to figure out which Toronto player to penalize, gives the PP a break.

  • David Backes gets a fortunate bounce off the end glass and drives home the puck on the power play to cut deficit to 2-1 with 10:15 remaining in the second.





  • Just like that the Maple Leafs respond as Tyler Bozak regains Toronto's two-goal lead less than a minute later.





  • Grzelcyk whistled for tripping. A shorty here would be key.

  • Toronto capitalizes on the PP for a 4-1 lead and Cassidy pulls Rask in favor of Anton Khudobin.





  • I can see a scenario where the Bruins score a goal, or two in this period and Rask starts the third.

  • Huge break for the Bruins as they get a two-man advantage for 1:34. Still down 4-1 with 6:15 remaining in the period.

  • Grzelcyk with two outstanding plays to set up that goal. Maple Leafs with a 4-2 lead with 2:42 remaining in the second period.

  • Sean Kuraly on the goal and there's your secondary scoring.





  • Pastrnak draws a penalty by keeping his legs going and the Bruins have a power play with 1:27 remaining in the second and a bit of momentum on their side.

  • Bruins will start the third period with 33 seconds remaining on the power play.


Observations from the third period


  • Maple Leafs kill off the remaining penalty.

  • Noel Acciari draws a huge penalty for the Bruins. Maple Leafs are trying to give this game back to Boston.

  • Power play not clicking for the Bruins as the Maple Leafs kill off another.

  • Secondary scoring. Secondary scoring. Secondary scoring.

  • Bruins cut deficit to one goal. Acciari with the tally.

  • Wow. Incredible action at both ends.

  • DeBrusk nearly ties it but shoots the puck high and wide with under five minutes remaining in regulation.

  • A few big faceoff wins for the Bruins in the O-zone late.

  • Cassidy going with four forwards with 2:55 remaining.



PRE-GAME NOTES


Patrice Bergeron
Bruce Cassidy
Brad Marchand
David Pastrnak

"We try to stick to the game in front of us but two teams that went to the Stanley Cup final last year couldn’t close out," explained Cassidy. "So, it’s difficult. We talked about how it’s hard to win in this league. It’s especially hard to win in the playoffs. I think they are aware of it. Hopefully they don’t over think it, just go out and play and play the we need to need to play and to have success."


First strike

"It's a good idea," Babcock said of scoring first. "We tried to do it 82 times in the regular season and four times so far. Sometimes it doesn't go, so I don't think you put all your eggs in one basket, but you want to start on time and you want to play well and you want to score the first goal.


"Last game, the first shift, tough way to start. It took us about five minutes to get going after that, but we got going real good and got the game even and were playing pretty well. The priority tonight, the first 10 minutes, without any question. They're going to come home here and they jumped pretty good last time we were in here in their building. We've got to be prepared."


 Babcock won't get the favorable matchups in Game 5 since the Bruins will have the last change on home ice. However, The Maple Leafs have Nazem Kadri back in the lineup after serving a three-game suspension.


Kadri "being back changes things for us," Babcock said. "I haven't decided which center is going to play on which line, to tell you the truth, on a few of them. By gametime tonight we'll know, see how guys are going in the first five minutes and go from there. Obviously, Naz is an important player for us and good to have him back."

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